Dry Powder Transfer Blend

Dry powder what??

So here’s what it is. If you print a black-and-white image on a really old, crappy, cheap laser printer (most modern, good quality laser printers won’t work), there is a good chance the cheap toner won't be fixed well or stably onto the bond paper. If you lay that laser print face down on another piece of smooth paper (bond or smooth watercolor) and paint the top (which is the back of that lousy laser print) with acetone and rub, the toner ends up partially coming off and yielding a deconstructed image on the second piece of paper. That resultant deconstructed image can be the final piece or, as in this case, it can be photographed, brought into Photoshop as a layer, and blended into the original image. It is also possible to embellish the deconstructed print with paint, pencil, etc, before photographing it.

© Howard Grill Dry Powder Blend

For interest, this is the actual transferred image before blending it back into the original photo. Depending on how the transfer looks, the transfer itself can be a stand-alone piece.

© Howard Grill

This photo is one I posted recently, though flipped horizontally. It is also a blended transfer, and the original image was taken with a Helios lens, causing the soft focus in the periphery of the image.

© Howard Grill

This is another technique I plan on pursuing further.

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